Zipper having its tab or slide incorporating an RFID device

ABSTRACT

A zipper having its tab or slide incorporating an RFID device is disclosed. The RFID device includes an IC disposed on a central portion of a recess of the tab or slide, an antenna in the form of a plurality of closely engaged concentric miniature enamelled wire conductors secured on a zone defined between projections spaced around a center of the recess and a peripheral flange of the recess, and two connections each electrically interconnected the IC and the antenna. In one embodiment, the tab has a ring for putting on an object. The concealed RFID device can be protected. Also, it may not detract from the zipper&#39;s external appearance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) devices and more particularly to a zipper having its tab or slide incorporating an RFID device as a unitary member.

2. Description of Related Art

Technology used in RFID is well known and RFID devices are widely employed in product tags, inventory system, electronic toll collection, or the like.

Circuitry of a typical RFID tag comprises an integrated circuit (IC) (e.g., silicon chip) for storing data, and an antenna electrically connected to the IC. The RFID tag has a size of 4 cm×4 cm or more. Chip and antenna are packaged on a circuit board with the size of 5.5 cm×8.5 cm. However, most applications of RFID technology are price tags or labels due to the above mentioned large size of the circuitry and the packaged circuit board. Take the example of RFID tag, it is typically attached to, stitched with, or hanged under an item of product. In other words, no disclosure about incorporating an RFID device into a product so far as the present inventor is aware. For an RFID device as a tag hanged under a product, the RFID device may be easily separated from the product due to an external pulling force or other undesired reasons. Thus, the need for improvement still exists.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

After considerable research and experimentation, a zipper having its tab or slide incorporating an RFID device according to the present invention has been devised so as to overcome the above drawbacks (including large circuitry and incapable of incorporating an RFID device into a product) of the prior art. By utilizing this RFID device, more applications of RFID device are made possible, the concealed RFID device can be protected, the concealed RFID device may not detract from the zipper's external appearance, and miniature RFID devices incorporated into products can be mass produced easily.

It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide a zipper comprising a tab; and an RFID device incorporated into the tab as one integral unit.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a zipper comprising a slide; and an RFID device incorporated into the slide as one integral unit.

In one aspect of the present invention the tab or the slide comprises a recess, a plurality of projections equally spaced around a center of the recess, and an annular zone defined between the projections and a peripheral flange of the recess; and the RFID device comprises an IC formed on a central portion of the recess, an antenna secured on the zone, and two connections each electrically interconnected the IC and the antenna.

In another aspect of the present invention the antenna is in the form of a plurality of closely engaged concentric miniature enameled wire conductors secured on the zone.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of zipper having its tab incorporating an RFID device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the RFID device prior to packaging;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the RFID device being packaged;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation in part section of a portion of FIG. 1 with a cover removed; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of zipper having its slide incorporating an RFID device according to the invention with a cover removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a zipper 4 in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. An RFID device 2 is incorporated into a tab 1 of the zipper 4. The tab 1 is formed of an electrically insulative material. The RFID device has a size less than 4 mm×4 mm. In brief, the RFID device is compact, is adapted to attach to or hook an object, or is incorporated into a zipper which is attached to a product as detailed below.

The tab 1 is shaped as a disc and comprises a shallow recess 11 having a circumferential flange 15 formed of an electrically insulative material, a plurality of (three are shown) short, cylindrical projections (or rectangular blocks or the like in other embodiments) 12 equally spaced around a center of the recess 11, the projections 12 being adapted to fasten circuitry of the RFID device 2 and adapted to define an annular zone 13 between itself and the flange 15, and a ring 14 projected from a circumference of the tab 1. The ring 14 may be replaced by a hook or the like in other embodiments.

Circuitry of the RFID device 2 comprises an IC (e.g., silicon chip) 21 disposed on a central portion of the recess, an antenna 22 in the form of a plurality of closely engaged concentric miniature enameled wire conductors secured on the zone 13, and two connections 23 each electrically interconnected the IC 21 and the antenna 22. Epoxy resin as a packaging material may be poured into the recess to cover and to fix the above components in place. Finally, if necessary, the cover (not shown) is secured onto the recess 15 to form an RFID device 2 incorporated into the tab 1 of the zipper 4.

In use, the ring 14 may be put on a product. Alternatively, slide a slide 3 to separate interlocking tabs of the zipper 4 to form a loop which is adapted to put on a product. In operation, the RFID device 2 is able to receive and respond to radio-frequency queries from an RFID transceiver. Further, transmitted data is read by an RFID reader (not shown) and processed quickly according to the needs of a particular application. Moreover, the compact, integral tab 1 and the RFID device 2 is aesthetic and is not limited by the large circuitry as experienced by the prior art.

Referring to FIG. 5, a zipper 4 in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The second preferred embodiment substantially has same structure as the first preferred embodiment. The differences between the first and the second preferred embodiments, i.e., the characteristics of the second preferred embodiment are detailed below. An RFID device 2 is incorporated into a slide 3 of the zipper 4. The slide 3 comprises a shallow recess 31 having a peripheral flange 35. A plurality of (three are shown) short cylindrical projections (or rectangular blocks or the like in other embodiments) 32 are equally spaced around a center of the recess 31. The projections 32 are adapted to fasten circuitry of the RFID device 2 and are adapted to define a peripheral zone 33 between itself and the flange 35.

Circuitry of the RFID device 2 comprises an IC (e.g., silicon chip) 21 disposed on a central portion of the recess 31, an antenna 22 in the form of a plurality of closely engaged concentric miniature enameled wire conductors secured on the zone 33, and two connections 23 each electrically interconnected the IC 21 and the antenna 22. Epoxy resin as a packaging material may be poured into the recess 31 to cover and fix the above components. Finally, if necessary, the cover (not shown) is secured onto the recess 31 to form an RFID device 2 incorporated into the slide 3 of the zipper 4.

While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims. 

1. A zipper comprising: a tab; and a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) device incorporated into the tab.
 2. The zipper of claim 1, wherein the tab comprises a circular recess having a circumferential flange with the RFID device mounted in the recess.
 3. The zipper of claim 1, wherein the recess is formed of an electrically insulative material.
 4. The zipper of claim 2, wherein the tab further comprises a plurality of projections equally spaced around a center of the recess, and an annular zone defined between the projections and the flange.
 5. The zipper of claim 4, wherein the projections are either cylinders or rectangular blocks.
 6. The zipper of claim 2, wherein the tab further comprises a hanging member projected from the flange.
 7. The zipper of claim 6, wherein the hanging member is either a ring or a hook.
 8. The zipper of claim 4, wherein the RFID device comprises an integrated circuit (IC) disposed on a central portion of the recess, an antenna secured on the zone, and two connections each electrically interconnected the IC and the antenna.
 9. The zipper of claim 1, further comprising a packaging member for covering the RFID device.
 10. The zipper of claim 9, wherein the packaging member is epoxy resin.
 11. A zipper comprising: a slide; and a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) device incorporated into the slide.
 12. The zipper of claim 11, wherein the slide comprises a recess having a peripheral flange with the RFID device mounted in the recess.
 13. The zipper of claim 11, wherein the recess is formed of an electrically insulative material.
 14. The zipper of claim 12, wherein the slide further comprises a plurality of projections equally spaced around a center of the recess, and an annular zone defined between the projections and the flange.
 15. The zipper of claim 14, wherein the projections are either cylinders or rectangular blocks.
 16. The zipper of claim 12, wherein the slide further comprises a hanging member projected from the flange.
 17. The zipper of claim 16, wherein the hanging member is either a ring or a hook.
 18. The zipper of claim 14, wherein the RFID device comprises an Integrated Circuit (IC) disposed on a central portion of the recess, an antenna secured on the zone, and two connections each electrically interconnected the IC and the antenna.
 19. The zipper of claim 11, further comprising a packaging member for covering the RFID device.
 20. The zipper of claim 19, wherein the packaging member is epoxy resin. 